Ingredients

Crust

  • 1 cup (2 sticks) salted butter, softened
  • 2 cups flour
  • 1/2 cup confectioner’s sugar
  • 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
  • zest of 1/2 a lemon

Filling

  • 9 ounces bittersweet chocolate
  • 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
  • 1/4 cup whole milk
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 1 1/2 inch piece of fresh ginger, half grated and half sliced
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • crystallized ginger (optional, for garnish)

Creme Fraiche

  • 1 cup heavy cream, room temp
  • 1/2 cup sour cream, room temp
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 4 cardamom pods

Directions

Crust

  1. Preheat oven to 350.
  2. Combine butter, flour, and confectioner’s sugar, cardamom, and lemon zest in a bowl. Press into the bottom of a 9″ tart pan.
  3. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until it begins to brown.
  4. Remove from oven and cool before filling.

Filling

  1. In a small sauce pan, bring cream and grated ginger to a boil. Remove from heat and let sit for 20 minutes to allow the ginger to steep a bit.
  2. Chop chocolate into small chunks and put into a medium, heat-safe bowl.
  3. Add butter, sugar, and salt to the cream and bring to a boil again, then strain the cream into the bowl over the chocolate pieces. Let sit for a minute then stir until blended. Let sit for a few minutes, then add the milk and vanilla and stir until shiny.
  4. Pour filling into cooled crust and let set at room temp for a couple hours.
  5. Sprinkle top of tart with crystallized ginger bits and serve with cardamom creme fraiche.

Creme Fraiche

  1. Put cream, sour cream, cardamom pods, and vanilla in a jar or container with a tight lid.
  2. Cover securely and shake 15 seconds. Set aside at room temperature for about an hour or two, shaking every once in a while until very thick. Cream will thicken faster if the room is warm.
  3. Stir thickened creme fraiche and remove/discard cardamom pods before serving.
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